Research Leadership

LEADERSHIP TEAM ADVISORY COUNCIL DEAN’S COUNCIL
OUR MISSION: To advance high-quality research and scholarship at UD by promoting an environment that fosters creativity, collaboration, community and commitment to the highest ethical values.

FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT

At the University of Delaware, research never stops. Curiosity, and the desire to make a positive impact on the world, continually drive us forward. Our faculty and students are making important discoveries as they work in well-equipped facilities and at field sites in Delaware and around the globe. During the past decade, external funding for UD research has steadily increased and now exceeds $237 million a year.

The Research Office serves as an advocate for UD faculty and scholars as they pursue research sponsored by governmental and non-governmental agencies and develop new innovations. Our staff help ensure compliance with all policies and procedures associated with the responsible conduct of research, foster the transfer of inventions and technologies into commercially marketable products, and assist in communicating UD research achievements to the public we serve.

Miguel Garcia-Diaz UD Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Innovation
A complementary mission of the office is to support the education of graduate students and undergraduate students through challenging academics and the conduct of peer-reviewed, publishable research.

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Miguel Garcia-Diaz

Miguel Garcia-Diaz

UD Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Innovation

Miguel Garcia-Diaz is responsible for advancing the University’s research enterprise. He is an accomplished administrator, researcher and educator with more than 15 years of higher education experience and has served as director of the T32 Training Program in Pharmacological Sciences for predoctoral students at Stony Brook.

MORE ABOUT MIGUEL

Angela Anderson

Angela Anderson

Associate Vice President for Federal Government Relations

Angela Anderson directs federal government relations at the University of Delaware, serving UD administration, faculty and staff as the University’s liaison to the federal government. She advocates for the University and its missions in education, research and outreach.

MORE ABOUT ANGELA

Tracey Bryant

Tracey Bryant

Senior Director for Research Communications

Tracey Bryant directs research communications to enhance UD’s visibility as a research powerhouse. Based in the Office of Communications and Marketing, she is broadly responsible for advancing public awareness and understanding of UD’s research discoveries and achievements.

MORE ABOUT TRACEY

Melinda K. Duncan

Melinda K. Duncan

Associate Vice President for Research, Director Delaware INBRE

Melinda Duncan leads Delaware INBRE with the ultimate goal to improve the health of Delawareans. The INBRE network collaborates to fund shared research facilities, to seed promising ideas proposed by early career researchers, and to provide undergraduate students with internships and other opportunities to do hands-on research.

MORE ABOUT MELINDA

Jeffrey Friedland

Jeffrey Friedland

Associate Vice President, Research Administration

Jeff Friedland oversees the Office of Sponsored Programs, which manages pre- and post-award sponsored research, develops financial-regulatory affairs programs, supports the operation of University-wide research institutes and internally funded research programs, and facilitates interdisciplinary research.

MORE ABOUT JEFF

Sean Hayes

Sean Hayes

Interim Associate Vice President, Research and Regulatory Affairs

Sean Hayes oversees UD’s compliance with state and federal requirements and regulations and university practice and procedures. His responsibilities include reviewing, negotiating, drafting and implementing a wide range of research-related agreements and ensuring the security of research activities.

MORE ABOUT SEAN

Gregory Hicks

Gregory Hicks

Associate Vice President for Clinical and Translational Research

Gregory Hicks is the lead PI of the ACCEL CTR Program who’s goal is to create a unified Delaware Clinical and Translational Research Community that breaks down existing barriers, capitalizes on the strengths of its partners and accelerates the creation of equitable solutions to improve the health of all Delawareans and all Americans.

MORE ABOUT GREGORY

Julius Korley

Julius Korley

Associate Vice President, Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships

Julius Korley works to promote long-term, productive partnerships by facilitating access to space, capital, counsel and connections that empower entrepreneurs and innovators to accelerate their ideas to market, grow their businesses and form partnerships of their own.

MORE ABOUT JULIUS

Tracy Shickel

Tracy Shickel

Associate Vice President – Corporate Engagement

Tracy Shickel is the Associate Vice President of Corporate Engagement at the University of Delaware (UD). In this role, Tracy leads university-wide external engagement and innovation-based economic development including growth of the University’s Science Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus.

MORE ABOUT TRACY

Karin Grävare Silbernagel

Karin Grävare Silbernagel

Associate Vice President for Human Research

Karin Grävare Silbernagel is Associate Vice President for Human Research and Director of the Center for Human Research Coordination (CHRC) at the University of Delaware. CHRC supports human subjects research across campus, assisting with participant recruitment, logistics, and data management. The center also promotes inclusive research participation and provides REDCap and registry support for UD investigators.

MORE ABOUT KARIN

K. Eric Wommack

K. Eric Wommack

Senior Associate Vice President for Research

Eric Wommack leads the research development team in advancing faculty collaborations and high-profile, cutting-edge research initiatives, including the establishment of successful research center grants and programs across multiple academic disciplines. His team also provides assistance in coordinating multidisciplinary proposals, educational workshops and much more.

MORE ABOUT ERIC

Download Printable RO Organizational Chart (PDF)

RESEARCH ADVISORY COUNCILS

A number of advisory boards and councils help guide and evaluate research programs at the University of Delaware. They serve as an advisory body to the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Innovation on matters pertaining to the development of research and creative activities and the achievement of research goals at UD.
2025-2026 Research Council Membership

Miguel Garcia-Diaz, Chair

• Cristina Archer, Geography and Spatial Sciences

• Panos Artemiadis, Mechanical Engineering

• Mark Blenner, Chemical and Biomolecular Engr

• Jeffrey Caplan, Plant and Soil Science

• Erin Cassese, Political Sci and Int Relations

• Sunita Chandrasekaran, Computer and Info Science – DBI

• Dawn Elliott, Biomedical Engineering Department

• Morgan Ellithorpe, Communication

• Thomas Epps, Chemical and Biomolecular Engr

• Velia Fowler, Biological Sciences

• Mellissa Gordon, Human Development and Family Science

• Karin Gravare Silbernagel, Physical Therapy

• Jody Greaney, Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences

• Thomas Hanson, School of Marine Sci and Policy

• Jennifer Horney, Epidemiology Program

• Arthi Jayaraman, Chemical and Biomolecular Engr

• Kelvin Lee, NIIMBL

• Laura Lessard, Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences

• Christopher Martens, DE Ctr for Cognitive Aging Research

• Holly Michael, Earth Sciences

• Mark Mirotznik, Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Branislav Nikolic, Physics and Astronomy

• Freda Patterson, Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences

• Srikanth Pilla, Ctr for Composite Materials

• Darrin Pochan, Materials Science

• Rosalie Rolon-Dow, Undergrad Research Program

• Joel Rosenthal, Chemistry and Biochemistry

• Greg Shriver, Entomology and Wildlife Ecology

• Amy Slocum, EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research

• Millicent Sullivan, Chemical and Biomolecular Engr

• Molly Sutherland, Biological Sciences

• Juzhong Tan, Animal and Food Sciences

• Arthur Trembanis, School of Marine Sci and Policy

• Amanda Van Horne, Communication Sci and Disorders

• Amanda Van Horne, Communication Sci and Disorders

• Tricia Wachtendorf, Disaster Research Center

• Donald Watson, Chemistry and Biochemistry

*Total Research Council Members: 37

Research Deans Council

Eric Wommack, (Chair)

  • Jake Bowman, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
  • Wei-jun Cai, College of Earth Ocean and Environment
  • Trevor Dawes, University of Delaware Library, Museums, and Press
  • Laura Desimone, School of Education
  • Jeff Friedland, Research Office
  • Gregory Hicks, Clinical and Translational Research
  • Sean Hayes, Research Office
  • John Huffman, IT-Research Cyberinfrastucture
  • Annie Johnson, University of Delaware Library, Museums, and Press
  • Sheryl Kline, Lerner College of Business
  • Julius Korley, OEIP
  • Mark Mirotznik, College of Engineering
  • Freda Patterson, College of Health Sciences
  • Joel Rosenthal, College of Arts & Sciences, Social Sciences
  • Daniel Smith, College of Arts & Sciences, Social Sciences
  • Amy Schwartz, Biden School of Public Policy
  • Joe Trainor, Biden School of Public Policy

UD Research Administration
ASSISTANCE

Compliance Hotline
Phone: (302) 831-2792

UD Research Office
100 Discovery Boulevard
10th Floor STAR Tower
Newark, DE 19713
Phone: (302) 831-2136
Fax: (302) 831-2828
Contact us

 

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